Double joy for Kumar

Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara was in for double joy as he was named ODI Player of the Year 2011 as well as LG People’s Choice Award winner at the LG ICC Awards in London.

During the performance period, Kumar played 25 ODIs and compiled 1,049 runs at an average of 55.21, including one century and seven half-centuries. As wicketkeeper, he also took 36 victims comprising 26 catches and 10 stumpings. Despite that busy workload, he still managed to lead his country to the ICC Cricket World Cup final in Mumbai where they lost narrowly to home team India.

The independent voting academy of 25 highly credentialed cricket experts put Sangakkara first, ahead of such talented and in-form players as Australia’s Shane Watson, Gautam Gambhir of India and South Africa’s Hashim Amla.

Sangakkara was unable to attend the awards due to playing in the recently completed Test match against Australia in Pallekele. Upon hearing the news he said: “It’s a great honour first of all to have been nominated for this award and a great honour to have actually won it.

“I would like to thank the rest of my teammates, they have done a great job over the years in one-day cricket and I am privileged to be part of this and led these guys for just over two years. I thank you again, I feel very very proud.”

Based on the period between 11 August 2010 and 3 August 2011, the LG ICC Awards 2011 – presented in association with FICA – take into account performances by players and officials in a remarkable period for the game.

For all the individual awards (with the exceptions of the Women’s Cricketer of the Year and the Umpire of the Year), a long-list compiled by the selection panel was forwarded to a 25-person Voting Academy made up of former players, respected members of the media, an elite umpire and an elite match referee. They voted on a three, two, one basis (with three being the highest value) and the winners emerged.

That period includes such high-profile events as the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the ICC Intercontinental Cup final, several ICC World Cricket Leagues as well as several bilateral Test and ODI series.

Kumar also became the second-ever recipient of the LG People’s Choice Award at the LG ICC Awards in London.

Sangakkara was voted to the award by the general public and beat off strong competition for the award from South Africa’s Hashim Amla, England’s Jonathan Trott, West Indies’ Chris Gayle and India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

The award, which was introduced last year at the LG ICC Awards in Bengaluru, was chosen by cricket fans around the world who, over the course of four weeks had the opportunity to vote for their favourite player. Sangakkara was unable to collect the award in person due to current playing commitments in the Sri Lanka Test series against Australia in Colombo.

Andy Mackay, LG Electronics UK Commercial Director, announced that the Sri Lankan had scooped the prize at the ceremony in London.

Upon hearing the news of winning the award, Sangakkara said: “It’s a great privilege having won this award especially since it was voted for by the fans. I would like to thank all of you, not just those who voted for me but everyone who come, day in and day out, to watch us play.

“We will continue doing our best to entertain you and keep attracting more and more fans to see this wonderful sport.”

The cricketers were selected on the basis of some really innovative parameters, in sync with the values that embody brand LG, by a five-man ICC selection panel. This panel was chaired by former West Indies captain and current chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee Clive Lloyd and includes former international players Zaheer Abbas of Pakistan, Mike Gatting of England, Paul Adams of South Africa and Danny Morrison of New Zealand.

The values by which the winner was judged include innovation, dynamism, strength in decision-making, performing well under pressure and executing a plan to distinction. The winner of this award should demonstrate an ability to engage spectators and should also embody the game’s unique spirit, both on and off the field.

Based on the period between 11 August 2010 and 3 August 2011, the LG ICC Awards 2011 – presented in association with FICA – take into account performances by players and officials in a remarkable period for the game.

That period includes such high-profile events as the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the ICC Intercontinental Cup final, several ICC World Cricket Leagues as well as several bilateral Test and ODI series.

The LG ICC Awards ceremony is now in its eighth year and this year it will be held in London, England. Previous ceremonies were held in London (2004), Sydney (2005), Mumbai (2006), Johannesburg (2007 and 2009), Dubai (2008) and Bengaluru (2010).